Float for fishlines



Aug. 19, 1947. M. L. PHILIPS 2,425,825

FLOAT FOR FISH LINES Filed April 12, 1945 INVENTOR. MORTON L HILIPS ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOAT FOR FISHLINES Morton L. Philips, Ottawa, Kane.

Application April 12, 1M5, Serial No. 587,901

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to floats for fish lines, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a hollow float having a small electric bulb and an energizing dry cell mounted therein, together with suitable wiring and contacts operable through pull upon the fish hook at the end of the line for closing the circuit through the light bulb, the upper part of the float being of transparent material, whereb the fisherman may know when a flsh has struck the hook of his line.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a dev e of the kind referred to, a two-part hollow float comprising an upper transparent portion threadedly connected with a lower portion not necessarily transparent, a small dry-cell supported centrally within the float and axially aligned therewith, a small light bulb seated at the upper end of the dry-cell and electrically connected therewith, the supporting elements of the dry-cell including resilient metal conductors disposed oppositely within the float and eperatively connected with the light bulb and with the opposite or lower end of the dry-cell, the extended lower ends of these conductors being supported in a spaced relation upon a cross-web of insulating material, a flexible diaphragm seated transversely within the lower end of the float below the said insulating cross-web, a stiff operating wire passed slidably and axially through the lower end of the float and through the insulating cross-web but fixedly joined to the said flexible diaphragm through which it also passes, flexin the same as it reciprocates inwardly or outwardly of the float, there being a metallic closing element or switch rigidly supported upon the inner end of the operating wire adapted to close the circuit through the light bulb as the metallic switch or closing element is pulled outwardly or downwardly upon the lower ends of the said resilient metal conductors, thes said ends being turned upwardly to resiliently engage the metallic switch piece, and a coil spring seated over the lower end of the operating wire and braced at its ends between the lower end or the float and the said flexible diaphragm, whereby the metallic switch piece is normally raised from contact with the ends of the resilient metal conductors and the electrical circuit thus opened and the light 'bulb made inoperative.

With the stated objects in view, together with such other and additional objects and advantages as may appear from the following specifL cation, attention is directed to the accompanying drawing as embodying a preferred form of the invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a float constructed in accordance with this invention, certain interior parts thereof being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, axial cross section, taken on or through the axis of the assembly as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

The hollow float which is the subject matter of this invention, and is referred to generally at 5. The float 5 includes an upper hollow section. 6 of any suitable transparent material such as a plastic, and being interiorly screw-threaded around its lower or open margin as indicated at The lower and hollow section 1 is somewhat more elongated, and matches at its upper open end the lower open end of the upper transparent section 6, being exteriorly threaded around its open margin as indicated at To for threadedly engaging the upper section or cap 6. For the sake of brevity the upper transparent section will hereinafter be referred to as the cap, and the lower section as the body, of the float. The body of the float may be constructed of any desired material, whether transparent or opaque. For the sake of appearance the ends of the float are shown as rounded oli, with the lower body section brought taperingly to its lower rounded end, but this formation is purely a matter of design and is not an essential feature of the invention. Near its upper and open end, the body shell 1 is formed with the interior annular shoulder lb, for a purpose to be xplained later. The cap and body of the float should both be of suitable insulating material and light in weight. A stiff crossweb ii, also of insulating material is anchored at its margins upon an annular ledge 'lc formed circumferentially around the inner side of the lower end of the body shell 7, and this cross-web is centrally apertured as at ta, for a purpose later pointed out.

A flexible diaphragm 9 of rubber or other suitable material is secured at its margins as indicated at 9a, to the under annular margin of the ledge la, in a leak-proof manner. The lower hollow body shell 1 is apertured through its extremity as shown at id, in axial alignment with the central or axial aperture 8a of the cross-web 8. A stiff operating wire i0 is passed into the body shell I through its apertured lower end, at 7d, and i pierced through the diaphragm 9 and extended up through the aperturefia of the-crossweb 8. The wire i0 is passed freely and slidably through the apertures 1d and 8a, but is cemented or otherwise locked to the diaphragm 9 through which it passes, as indicated at 0A. Thus this diaphragm moves with the wire as the latter reciprocates inwardly or outwardly of the body shell 1. A coil spring H is seated over the wire l0 and is braced under compression between the lower end wall of the body shell 1 and the lower side 6 3 of the flexible diaphragm 9, whereby this diaphragm as well as the connected wire iii are resiliently held to their retracted or iii-drawn positions, but the wire H) as well as the fish hook l2 as attached to the extended outer end thereof, may be drawn substantially outward through the pull of a fish as the latter strikes the hook and moves away with same, with a resultant effect to be later described. The retracted and extended positions of the elements are shown in Figures 1 and 2 respectively.

Flat strips of spring metal, [3 and M, are positioned longitudinally at diametrically opposite sides of the lower body shell 1, interiorly of the float, and by mean of rivets l5 are secured by their inturned lower ends to the upper face of the cross-web 8, in a spaced relation and with their extremities upraised and hooked over to \form the spaced terminals 1311, Ma. The elements l3 and M are looped inwardly as at [3b, Mb, for tightly embracing the opposite margins of the shoulders lb or the body shell, by which arrangement the elements are firmly held in upright position and proper transverse alignment. The strip I4 is extended upward and turned inwardly at its upper end and is screw threaded thereat to form one-half of a threaded socket iii. The opposite half of the socket i6 is formed by a metal strip I30 formed complementally at its outer end with the outer end of the strip It. A short strip of insulating material ltd. is secured by rivets [3e to the aligned and spaced ends of the metal strips i3, I30, thus holding the several parts together in relatively stiiT and operative alignment, and. whereby the completed socket iii may receive and operatively support in position the small electric light bulb ll of conventional form. An L-shaped bracket of strip metal is, also resilient in character, is secured by one leg by means of rivets IE] to the strip IS in such manner that the extremity of the other leg will fall in suitably spaced alignment below the socket I6. This extremity of the free leg of the bracket I8 is formed with a socket Ifia adapted to receive the lower end of a small dry-cell 20, the latter being clamped and held in place between the lamp bulb il' seated in the socket i6, and the free leg of the bracket l8 carrying the socket its, by virtue of the resilient quality of the strip material of which the elements are made. A switch piece in the form of a metallic disk ii is rigidly mounted at the upper or inner end of the operat ing wire l0, this switch piece or disk being adapted to contact the terminals l3a, Ma, when the wire IE1 is pulled outward, thus closing the circuit through the dry-cell and light bulb. A connecting link 22 is provided at the upper closed end of the cap 6, to which the end of a fish line (not shown) may be attached in usual form. The two parts of the socket I6 are soldered together or otherwise locked together to provide a rigid threaded socket or receptacle for the threaded shank of the light bulb. If preferred the crossweb 8 may be seated freely upon the ledge lc, so that the cross-web, and all attached elements including the dry-cell and light bulb, may be inserted or removed as may be found desirable or necessary. The spring metal strips l3, M, are biased or tensioned to urge outwardly, so that when these strips and attached elements are inserted into the body shell I, the loops 131), Mb, will readily snap outwardly and seat over the aces shoulder lb, for sustaining the parts in operative position and alignment. While the hollow parts 6 and "l are here shown as circular in cross section, same might be made ovate or rectangular in cross section if desired. In the structure as shown the lower portion of the metal strip it together with the bracket i8 comprises the conductor for one side of the circuit, while the opposite metal strip M carries the other side of the circuit.

In use, when a fish strikes the hook I? and pulls on same, the wire ill is drawn outward, thus drawing the switch piece ill down into contact with the terminals its, l te, and closing the light circuit. Otherwise the switch is held raised by the spring I I, and the circuit in open relation.

While there is here shown and described a specific embodiment of the invention, and specific structural features thereof it is to be understood that the described assembly and the elements thereof, may be changed or modified as be found desirable, within the scope however of the appended claim.

I claim:

a device of the kind referred a two-part hollow float comprising an upper transparent portion threadedly connected with a lower portion, a small dry-cell supported centrally within the and axially aligned therewith, a small light bulb seated at the upper end of the drycell and electrically connected therewith, the supporting elements of the dry-cell including resilient metal conductors disposed oppositely within fioat and operatively connected with the light bulb and with the opposite or lower end of the dry-cell, the extended lower ends of these conductors being supported in a spaced relation upon a cross-web of insulation material, a flexible diaphragm seated transversely within the lower end of the float below the said insulating cross-web, a still operating wire passed slidably and axially through the lower end of the float and through the insulating cross-web but fixedly joined to the said flexible diaphragm through which it also passes, flexing the same as it reciprocates inwardly or outwardly of the float, there being a metallic closing element or switch rigidly supported upon the inner end of the operating wire adapted to close the circuit through the light bulb as the metallic switch or closing element is pulled outwardly or downwardly upon the lower ends of the said resilient metal conductors, these said ends being turned upwardly to resiliently engage the metallic switch piece, and a coil spring seated over the lower end of the operating wire and braced at its ends between the lower end of the float and the said flexible diaphragm, whereby the metallic switch piece is normally raised from contact with the ends of the resilient metal conductors and the electrical circuit thus opened and the light bulb made inoperative.

lviOPtTOi'l L. PHILIPS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED PAIfENlTS Number Name Date 2,153,750 Goertzen Apr. ll, 1939 2,179,873 Dietrich Nov. 14, 1939 

